I Just Can't Forget
by OceanCat22
Summary: Three years since they completed the Crossing, and all Sapphire and Conor want to do now is move on. But for 17 year old Sapphy, its harder than it looks. She has a new life, new look, new friends. It can't be that hard- can it? But it is. And a visit from Faro, who she hadn't heard from in three years, could make it even harder. My first fanfic, rated T to be safe. xxx
1. Chapter 1-The Pull of Ingo

**AN: Hi readers! Thanks for clicking into my story, and so please R &R! Criticism is welcome too, otherwise if I got no feedback my story would probably suck... I decided to write this because the Ingo FanFic community is fairly small in comparison to others, so let's help each other out by writing more amazing stories! (All the Ingo FanFics I've read are really good) Anyway stop listening to me ramble and on to the story!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own** _ **Ingo**_ **or any of it's themes or characters.**

 **Chapter 1**

 _ **The Pull of Ingo**_

I reluctantly lower myself into the icy water where my best friend Ella is waiting patiently, her black as night hair floating and gleaming in the afternoon sun. I feel the freezing water creeping up my legs as I slowly move downwards and I quickly stand up again on the ledge I am currently on. I let out a screech of laughter; Ella flicks some of the cold water on me.

Ella giggles like a child as I wipe the water out of my eyes. She smiles cheekily at me and I feel bubbles of mock annoyance rising up inside of me.

I glance over to where the others are grinning at me and I bend my legs, glaring at Ella. She laughs and then screams happily as I do a purposely bad dive into the water so that she gets splashed.

Ella is still laughing when I resurface and I beam at her triumphantly. "Well well well Saph," she tuts. "I think we can all agree-" she glances back at where Millie and James are treading water, with Will lazily drooped on his surfboard and they nod, "That you can do much better than that." She silently giggles, like the little girl she is.

"That was a horrible dive!" James chimes in, trying to get on my nerves, but not really at the same time. "Ooh you're in for it now!" I give them an evil smile and I- try to- mysteriously disappear underwater. I open my eyes once I get under, and brush my hair out of my eyes. I am a pretty strong swimmer, so I get to them fairly quickly.

I hide under Will's board so that they don't see me. When they are all focused on Ella and whatever she is saying, I pounce. I push myself down to the sand, and bend my legs to spring up. I burst out of the water and bring my arms down with a splash; the icy and clear water raining down on all four of them. Will gets sprayed the most and he laughs. I take a deep breath as I feel his hands press down on my back, pushing me into the water, but I swim back under his surfboard and pop up on the other side and poke out my tongue. We're all laughing now.

Again I feel Will's strong hands on me, around my waist this time, lifting me out of the water and flinging me down onto his board. He lets out a yelp of surprise when I push him backwards off the surfboard and quickly kick away from him. Millie duck dives under the water and hoists Will up out of the sea.

"Oh, my saviour!" Will cries dramatically. "You rescued me from that evil witch over there!" He points and kicks over to me, pulling Millie along with him. Millie plays along as well, and pushes me gently off the board. Will throws himself on top of it, and confidently stands up on it. He places his hands on his hips and shouts, "I vow to destroy every inch of her!" Millie smiles cheekily and swims over to him, perching delicately on the edge of the large surface. "And I vow to help you!" She cries. Ella points at me with a piece of seaweed. "Oh we'll get her alright!" James snatches the seaweed from her grasp and claims "Not if I get her first!"

At that remark I speedily dive back under the water and begin to kick away from them, my four friends not far behind. For some reason I dive deeper and deeper, till I reach the sand. I notice that the tide has been gently pulling us further out to sea; it's quite deep already. Instead of continuing to swim towards the shore, I decide to stay on the bottom of the ocean and swim further out. _Come Sapphire..._ Ingo seems to be calling. _Come back, Sapphire..._

Ingo wants me, I know. I can't resist. I have to let her take me. But it's been so long... what if I forget? Forget to let go of Air? Ingo wants me, but my friends do too. I can faintly hear them calling my name, each time sounding more desperate. "Saph!" I hear Ella call. "Saph!" Will continues. James and Millie call louder. "Saph! Saph! Sapphire!"

I close my eyes and pull as hard as I can out of Ingo's grasp. She is strong, but I have grown stronger.

Since we completed the crossing three years ago, I haven't seen Faro once, and I haven't come to Ingo once. My trips to the cove have also become less frequent.

Conor has left for University with Rainbow. He is 19 now. All my friends and I are 17, though I guess we still act like little kids. I've changed lots. Last time Connor and I were in Ingo, I was 14 and he was 16. Ever since then I have become more Earth than Mer, so I don't know why Ingo longs for me so much now.

My hair used to dangle below my waist in thick curls, but now I have cut it much shorter. It now hangs a little below my ears and I think I like it better this way. I regularly straighten it. I have been starting to wear a bit of light makeup sometimes too, and Ella always tells me I look great in it. Maybe I should wear it more often...

I'm growing up fast, and it surprises me how normal it feels. When I was younger, it felt like I could play in currents with Faro forever, and I would never grow out of it. That all seems boring and pointless now. My main point is simply this- I've moved on. Conor has too, and I think we could both agree that life is better this way. We are basically adults, and everything feels so great without the sneaking out, tempers and lying.

It feels amazing to just hang out with my friends at the beach, without any... _Ingo_... confusion.

I reopen my eyes and release Ingo. My lungs immediately start burning and I know I can't hold my breath much longer. I push as hard as I can upwards, and I feel like a messy explosion when I burst back up through the surface, away from Ingo, and back home into the comforting Air.

I cough and splutter and choke up water. I paddle blindly forward until I reach the place where I can stand. With my feet planted firmly in the sand, I wipe the water off my eyes and open them to see four people frantically waving to me on the shore. I can see Millie, who hasn't come out of the water yet, swim over to me.

"Are you okay?" She holds my shoulders worriedly. "I'm-m-m f-fine," I stammer, my teeth chattering. _So embarrassing._ I tell myself, feeling slightly paranoid. But my friends don't seem to care. They just wrap towels around me and ask if I'm ok. I don't really listen to them, but I just nod in response to their rapid concerned questions.

They are good friends, and I am truly grateful for that. Without them, Ingo would have succeeded in luring me to her uncertain depths. I want to move on, and now I can. I can put my confusing past behind me and carry on with life. Just like I should.

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **OceanCat**

 **xxx**


	2. Chapter 2-Down at the Cove Again

**AN: Hi guys! Thanks to everyone who read my first chapter. So please R &R this one too! Let me know what you think of it. And on to the chapter...**

 **Chapter 2**

 _ **Down at the Cove Again**_

I am walking back to Ella's house, completely recovered, my arm slung over Millie's shoulder. Ella and James are walking beside me; hand in hand, and Millie finds this incredibly interesting and amusing.

"What's the time Saph?" Millie says, still staring in front of her. I remove my arm from her shoulder and fumble around for my phone. "Damn, I left my phone at home," I lie. I reach over to the back pocket of Millie's shorts and she squeals indignantly at me.

I blow a mocking raspberry and she laughs when I just spit everywhere. "It's 3:42!" I tell her and she just pushes my face away playfully. Keeping her hand on my face, she snatches her phone out of my grasp with the other hand. I push her off me, but I gasp when she falls backwards. Luckily, Will catches her just in time and I let out a big breath that I didn't know I was holding.

Will laughs briefly at my overreaction of relief, and Millie giggles, blushing. I help her up and she immediately continues ahead of us. Clearly she's embarrassed about falling. _Sorry Millie..._

Once Millie, Ella, James and Will have returned home from my house, I settle down on the sofa and squash myself under a blanket and a fluffy pillow. Mum chuckles at my squashed appearance and I wriggle down further into the sinking pillows.

"Mum, did Con tell you when he's visiting?" I mumble through my cup of hot tea. I blink my eyes vigorously as the steam floats up into my face. "Well actually," Mum looks at me from where she is washing the dishes from dinner. "Roger got a call from him earlier today and he and Rainbow are com-" but she doesn't get any further, because the door bursts open and Rainbow enters, followed by Conor.

"Con!" I shout happily as I run over to him and fling him into a hug. I step back carefully, and he smiles. "Hey Saph," he says calmly. I can't help but wonder how he can **not** be excited after so long! He hasn't been back for an entire year! According to Rainbow, who came back every holiday, he's been really busy. But still! A year!

He frowns as he examines me carefully for the first time in a year. He's grown taller and now he's at least a head taller than me. He widens his eyes. "Saph! You're so tall now! And you cut your hair? Wow it looks... kinda good?" He teases me. I poke him in annoyance and invite him to sit down. Rainbow happily invites herself to sit next to me and she and I squeeze each other in a happy hug.

He squints his eyes and looks closer at my face. "Are you wearing- makeup?" He raises one eyebrow and I roll my eyes. "Well a lot has changed since you were here last..." I mumble.

Conor frowns and puts his hands on my shoulders reassuringly. "Are you- are you ok Sapphy?" He looks genuinely worried. I shuffle uncomfortably and groan, "don't call me that. It makes me feel like a kid. And it reminds me of-" I widen my eyes and stop myself just in time before I can say something that will reveal Ingo to Rainbow.

"Of when you, me and dad played together," I cover up, and Con frowns but nods a tiny nod of approval, really small so that Rainbow doesn't see. _Wow Saph, you just_ _ **had**_ _to think of something depressing that'll remind everyone of dad. Fantastic. Great job._ I begin to lecture myself on how stupid I am, when I hear a bang at the door.

Con jumps up and pushes the door shut. "Sorry," he says. "Must have forgotten." I wish I could forget things that quickly. Ingo; for example. Except then once you've forgotten, whatever you just forgot comes back and reminds you of what you've done. How am I suppose to move on?

It's now only 8:51 and I've begun to yawn. Rainbow giggles in a childlike manner and I frown playfully.

That night, Rainbow sleeps in my room while Con sleeps in his old one. After watching the movie _The Little Mermaid_ (which Rainbow insisted on watching seeing as we were all in a bit of a childish mood) we creep upstairs to bed. As I lie in bed staring at the ceiling, all I can think about is _The Little Mermaid_.

I wish Rainbow had picked something else to watch. I had been focused on the mermaids and mermen and I kept thinking about all the Mer that I hadn't seen in three years. Faro, for example. Con had kept on glancing nervously at me, obviously he had known what was on my mind.

I am walking down to the cove. Con and Rainbow are beside me, and we are carrying a picnic that mum made for us. "Seriously mum?" I had said as she passed over the basket. "Don't you think we're a little old for these?" Mum had just shrugged and re-entered the house, where Roger was talking on the landline to one of his colleagues.

I spot the ocean, the perfect and yet virtually non-existent waves landing gracefully upon the shore. The sunlight is hitting it at a perfect angle, so that the surface glitters, but not so much that I have to look away.

In fact, I **can't** look away. I am drawn to the way the water's surface gently ripples in the subtle breeze. The way the water is a turquoise colour in the shallows and then there's this perfect line where it changes to dark blue, where the water is deeper. I inhale deeply and catch the salty smell of the sea, an early morning breeze, the very faint smell of fish, and yet the still strong smell of Earth.

The rustled trees sending leaves along with the wind that disturbed them. The soil, and the plants growing out of it. I can hear all the land animals rustling like the trees above them, the birds chirping, drowning out the ugly shout of seagulls. This is why I left Ingo. Earth is so powerful and beautiful, but so is Ingo, and I am torn.

Before I realise it, the three of us have reached the cove and I feel Conor's hand against my chest, pushing me back, away from the rocks of the cove. "Focus, Saph!" He warns me. I shake my head at my carelessness and climb cautiously down the small rocky cliff.

I jump onto the sand with a gentle thud and run to where the Earth meets Ingo. I reach my warm hand into the water and shiver as I am reminded of the magic of Ingo, but the danger of it too. The water is cold, but not as cold as it was yesterday. I shiver again at the thought of yesterday at the beach, with Millie, Ella, James and Will.

I walk backwards, still looking out to sea. I have a nervous frown on my face and my wet fingers are fiddling with strands of my short hair. I hear my sandals crunch on the shells and a cool breeze is suddenly covering my bare arms and legs. I shiver for the third time today and I find myself wishing that I'd put on something warmer than sandals, a thin t-shirt and shorts. I am still walking backwards.

I give a silent yelp of surprise when I bump into something hard behind me. Conor catches me as I lean forward precariously. "Saph!" He says forcefully, interrupting my confusing thoughts. "What's wrong with you today?"

After snatching the jumper that Conor is holding I walk away from them both and climb the slippery rocks which are on the edge of the cove. I sit down on a flat one and watch as Rainbow and Con seem to forget about me and I'm sure Con is rolling his eyes.

I stare sadly out to sea, my just-below-the-ears length hair blowing (barely because it's so short, but it's grown a little since I cut it so now I guess I have only-just-brushing-my-shoulders length hair) out behind me.

I squeal as a big wave comes crashing out over me and I pant when it's gone, feeling the water drop from my clothes and hair. "Ughhh!" I yell out in frustration. I can see Con's head turn in my direction and he's laughing.

I narrow my eyes and frown angrily. I grumble and yell out again. "Ughhhhh! Great! Shut up!" I aim my angry comment towards my mocking brother. I look up at the sky and moan.

Shaking off as much water as I can I stand up and leap back when another wave comes crashing onto the rocks, targeting me. It doesn't miss. For the third time, I yell in frustration. "Ughhhh why?! Why can't I have a normal day without the sea ruining it?!" I whimper just like Sadie does when she wants something or is unhappy. I pull my jumper on, zip it up and put the hoodie over my head and face.

I glance over at Rainbow and Conor. And it's lucky I did. Con is waving frantically to me. When he gets my attention he shouts "Saph! Come back here!" I run back over to where he is standing next to Rainbow, who is sitting down.

"What is it?" I say in between breaths. "Your shift at the bakery starts in ten minutes," he says, handing me my phone. I take it. "Your phone came up with a reminder," he informs me. I nod and run away from them. "Thanks!"

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **OceanCat**

 **xxx**


	3. Chapter 3-Back on the Waves

**AN: Hello again readers! Big Thankyou to all viewers of IJCF, keep reading! And reviews too, please! Now I don't wanna hold you up for too long... story time!**

 **Chapter 3**

 _ **Back on the Waves**_

I leap off the bus and run down the street. I wince as I only just miss barrelling into a woman walking along the path. What is it with me and carelessness today?

I keep running until I reach the bakery, _St Pirans Bakehouse_. I come to a skidding halt as I see my boss, Marie, impatiently waiting outside the building and drumming her fingers on the table she's sitting at.

As I calmly approach her, she stands up and greets me with a curt nod. She walks inside while I check the time. "Damn!" I whisper when I see that it's 12:40 and I'm ten minutes late.

After a hot two hours at the bakery I wait for seven minutes at the bus stop and the bus still hasn't come. I groan with annoyance. "Its five minutes late!" I complain to myself. My phone rings and vibrates in my pocket. I reach for it and answer Connor. I squint up at the sun as he speaks.

Con: Hi Saph. You done at the bakery yet?

Me: Uh yeah, why?

Con: Rainbow and I were gonna go to St Pirans beach.

Me: Uh huh. I'll meet you there in say... five minutes?

Con: Sure. We'll probably take longer than five minutes Rainbow's driving and we're about ten minutes away so see ya! Also we've got donuts.. bye!

Me: Mmmm 'kay.

I click my phone off and wander away from the bus stop and towards the beach. I fill up the time by thinking about donuts.

When I am on the sand, I spot a familiar figure running towards the water, a surfboard under her arm. "Mil!" I call and I jog towards where she's parked her towel and her other things. The sand is hot under my now bare feet, and the water looks so refreshing. I can't wait to leap in and let it relax me and draw me into Ingo...

 _No Saph!_ I tell myself. I grit my teeth. You can't think about Ingo. _You're trying to move on- remember?_ My thoughts are broken my Millie throwing a water bottle at me. "You look hot and sweaty and tired," she says. "Extra shifts at the bakery?" I nod as I drink most of the water in her bottle.

"Whatcha doing here?" She sits on her surfboard and rubs sunscreen on as I take off my unnecessary jacket. I shrug. "Conor and Rainbow are meeting me." As if on cue, they appear behind me and Con taps me on the shoulder. I turn around and he passes me my bathers. I shout my thanks, already halfway to the public toilets to get changed.

Millie rolls her eyes over and over again at me and I choke on laughter. "You look like a psychopath when you do that," I laugh, and she rolls her eyes again before laughing demonically.

"Hurry uuuuuppppp!" She whines as I slather more and more sunscreen on my arms and face just to annoy her. "Okkkkkaaaayyyy!" I say playfully, imitating her tone.

As soon as I finish, she tugs me so hard I think my arm is going to come out. Millie pulls me with her, holding her surfboard in the other arm. Con chuckles at the sight and follows our tracks.

We arrive at the shore and Millie releases my arm, much to my relief. I steal her surfboard and she follows me into the nice refreshing water. On the board, I jump and launch myself through the air and land with a slap and a splash on the water.

I paddle out fast and turn around to prepare for the wave. It's big, a great size. Perfect. It pushes me with a strong force, and I wobble a bit at first, but get used to it. As it advances towards the shore, I know I need to get up soon.

I place my hands on the board to stabilise myself. I tilt my head towards my right side; Millie is jumping up and down and shouting encouragingly.

I narrow my eyes. Even though I haven't been surfing in years, I know I can do it. I slowly stretch my arms, and push my body upwards. I tuck my feet under me and carefully take my hands off. I'm standing! I put my arms out to balance myself, and it's all coming back. Everything I love about the sea. The wildness, the beauty, the waves, the sea spray blowing on my face and the gentle wind slapping against my bare stomach.

Millie practically screams out of excitement (I'm the first out of the two of us to stand up on this board) and Rainbow is clapping far away on the shore. Con is pumping his fist in the air and I let out a whoop of victory. I have a huge smile on my face and I narrow my eyes again.

I lower my arms a little as I get used to the massive wave and I try an old trick that Con taught me when we were little. I place my right arm lower than my left and swing a little way round to the left so I have more speed, before going up the wave about two thirds of a metre. I then face sideways on the wave. Millie shouts with excitement.

"Woooooooohooooooo! Go Saph!" Are the words I hear as I ride past her, also crazy clapping. She bursts into running and does an amazing leap over-well more like through- a wave. I laugh at my funny, great friend and then focus on my surfing while Millie runs to the shore, splashing as she goes.

I face forwards again and give a big thumbs up to Rainbow, Con and Millie a big thumbs up. It's still deep enough to jump. I prepare and bend my legs, then jump wildly and messily off the board. I can't help the smile on my face as I resurface. Millie catches her board as it collides with the sand on the shore.

I stand up and give a wave to three of my favourite people in the world. I begin walking forward, and I am currently in waist high water. But I don't get any further, because something big barrels into my legs and knocks me under. I open my eyes underwater and see something-or someone- I thought I'd never see again. "Sapphire? Is that you?" Faro asks.

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **OceanCat**

 **xxx**


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